geo 80818 bsc tourism thesis
TRANSCRIPT
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GEO 80818
BSc Tourism Thesis Academic Year 2019-20
Coordinators & Contact Persons: Dr. Emmanuel Adu-Ampong
Dr. Arjaan Pellis ([email protected])
characterizing the course
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BSc Tourism Thesis (GEO 80818) Language of instruction: English
Study load: 18 ECTS (504 hours) Components of the credits: Supervised self-study
Period/time: Periods 5 (part-time) and 6 (full-time)
https://ssc.wur.nl/Studiegids/Vak/GEO-80818
Assessment dates:
Written thesis report Period 6, Week 7 25 June 2020 Presentation and oral defence Period 6, Week 8 2 July 2020
Coordinators/contact persons: Dr. Emmanuel Adu-Ampong ([email protected]) and
Dr. Arjaan Pellis ([email protected])
Supervisors: Thesis supervisors from among select BUAS and WUR staff involved
in the BSc Tourism programme Examiners: Dr. Emmanuel Adu-Ampong, Dr. Arjaan Pellis and select BUAS and
WUR staff involved in the BSc Tourism programme Examination (assessment): Written component (80%)
Oral component (20%)
Type of assessment: The assessment is based upon the following four components: - research competence (40%)
- research report (40%)
- oral presentation (10%) - oral defence (10%) All components will contribute to the final mark and each must be
evaluated as 5.5 or greater. See assessment rubric below for further details.
Presumed knowledge: All BSc Tourism courses taken to date
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed all first-year BSc Tourism courses, Research Methods 2 and the International Field Project in order to begin the thesis. Should students not have fulfilled the
prerequisites, they must receive permission from the BSc Tourism Study Advisor to be able to proceed with the thesis.
Continuation courses: Not applicable
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Contents 0. Preface ...................................................................................................................................... 4
1. Profile of the thesis ..................................................................................................................... 4
2. Thesis learning outcomes ............................................................................................................ 4
3. Course materials and resources ................................................................................................... 4
4. Step-by-step outline of the thesis process and activit ies ................................................................. 4
4.1 Step 1: Be paired up with a supervisor doing research related to the student’s identified interests in
the study of tourism .................................................................................................................... 5
4.1.1. Note on the ‘independent route’........................................................................................ 5
4.2 Step 2: Formulate objectives and preferences with respect to the BSc thesis project .................... 5
4.3 Step 3: Conduct an independent literature search and literature study........................................ 6
4.4 Step 4: Formulate a research project proposal with the support of the supervisor ........................ 6
4.5 Step 5: Conduct the research according to the proposal and within the designated timeframe ....... 7
4.5.1 What is the difference between a 12- and an 18-credit BSc thesis? ....................................... 8
4.6 Step 6: Discuss and analyse the research findings in a written thesis report ................................ 8
4.7 Step 7: Present and discuss the research in a public oral presentation ........................................ 9
4.8 Step 8: Defend and reflect upon the research process, theory, methods and results as well as upon
personal actions and thought processes ......................................................................................... 9
4.9 Step 9: Thesis wrap-up .......................................................................................................... 9
5. Course schedule ........................................................................................................................10
6. Assessment strategy..................................................................................................................12
6.1 How thesis learning outcomes are assessed.............................................................................12
6.2 BSc Tourism thesis assessment rubric and user instructions......................................................13
7. What to do if you encounter problems during the thesis process ....................................................21
Appendices ...................................................................................................................................22
Appendix 1. BSc Tourism Thesis contract ......................................................................................22
Appendix 2. BSc Tourism Thesis assessment form .........................................................................24
Appendix 3. BSc Tourism author statement...................................................................................27
Appendix 4. BSc Tourism programme learning objectives ...............................................................28
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0. Preface This course guide is meant for BSc Tourism students starting their BSc thesis (GEO 80818). In it,
you can find all information you need to set up, execute and finish your thesis. Read the study guide carefully before you start your thesis, so you know what you are doing. In case anything is unclear or if you have ideas to improve or supplement the study guide, you can contact
the thesis coordinators. Have fun and good luck with your BSc thesis!
1. Profile of the thesis The BSc Tourism Thesis is an individual project in which various academic research skills are applied to a specific field, resulting in a paper (‘thesis report’) and presentation, after which the BSc Tourism study programme is completed. In the BSc Tourism thesis, students must demonstrate that they master the
bachelor competencies (see Appendix 4 for BSc Tourism programme learning outcomes) to a satisfactory level and that they can independently apply obtained knowledge and skills to a chosen assignment. Successful completion of the bachelor thesis indicates that students are ready to enter a
master’s programme.
2. Thesis learning outcomes An 18-credit BSc thesis results in a written report on a scientific topic that is within the domain of the study programme and is produced through independent research. Upon successful completion of the
BSc thesis, students should be able to individually: 1. Formulate individual learning goals based on personal reflection on their own knowledge, skills,
attitude and functioning, and incorporate these learning goals in a research project proposal;
2. Perform a literature search and literature study; 3. Survey, apply and integrate relevant academic knowledge regarding a current issue in the field of
tourism; 4. Formulate a research project proposal (including theoretical background, problem definition,
methodological design and project planning) under supervision and with the use of feedback;
5. Plan and carry out research based on the knowledge and skills which are acquired in the BSc programme;
6. Plan and carry out independent research work, under supervision and appropriate to the BSc level,
within the designated timeframe; 7. Write and present a BSc-level academic thesis report – with the use of feedback – in a way that
clearly, understandably and systematically describes the methods, findings and analysed results of the research project;
8. Defend and reflect upon the research project and its results as well as upon personal action and
thinking throughout the thesis process in writing and orally.
3. Course materials and resources Guidance materials and resources used in the course can be found on the BSc Tourism thesis (GEO 80818) Brightspace site (https://brightspace.wur.nl/). It is students’ responsibility to gather and
analyse the appropriate literature and empirical data for their projects, as arranged with their supervisors.
4. Step-by-step outline of the thesis process and activities Students carry out the BSc Tourism Thesis individually (i.e., not as a group, as with the National Field Project (NFP) or International Field Project (IFP) in the past), under the guidance of their supervisors.
Supervisors propose topics related to their own on-going research to which students will be able to contribute. Following consultation with the research manager of BUAS Breda’s Academy for Tourism,
the thesis coordinators will pair up students and supervisors relative to the interests of both parties. Then students must identify and define a research problem relative to this topic, formulate research
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questions, manage the logistics of carrying out an individual research project, plan and schedule the different activities appropriately, and present the results in writing and orally in a clearly organised
report and colloquium.
As such, the BSc Tourism Thesis ‘course’ consists of several steps: 1. Be paired up with a supervisor doing research related to the student’s identified interests in the
study of tourism;
2. Formulate objectives and preferences with respect to the BSc thesis project and fill in/sign Thesis Contract with supervisor;
3. Conduct an independent literature search and literature study;
4. Formulate a research project proposal with the support of the supervisor; 5. Conduct the research according to the proposal and within the designated timeframe;
6. Discuss and analyse the research findings in a written thesis report; 7. Present and discuss the research in a public oral presentation; 8. Defend and reflect upon the research process, theory, methods and results as well as upon
personal actions and thought processes.
4.1 Step 1: Be paired up with a supervisor doing research related to the student’s identified interests in the study of tourism A compulsory group meeting will be held with students and the coordinators in order to explain the
thesis process on 19 February 2020 (12:30-13:30, Location: Lumen building, room Lumen 1).
Prospective supervisors will submit a list of research topics and projects appropriate for the BSc Tourism Thesis and students will receive this list of research topics/projects by mid-February, 2020 (at
the latest). Students must select their top 3 choices from the list of thesis projects proposed by supervisors by 24 February 2020 at 14:00. Based on students’ responses, the thesis coordinators will
pair up students with supervisors by 2 March 2020 (note: students’ first choices cannot always be guaranteed).
4.1.1. Note on the ‘independent route’ Exceptionally academically strong and motivated students who wish to develop their own research projects may opt out of the above-described application/allocation process ONLY if they can secure an appropriate supervisor (this must be a BSc Tourism teaching staff member
from either Wageningen University & Research or Breda University of Applied Sciences1) and develop a brief project proposal that has been approved by the supervisor and the thesis
coordinators by no later than 24 February 2020. This means that such students MUST 1) begin the process earlier than their fellow classmates and 2) assume personal responsibility for ensuring that they complete any additional work necessary in order to be sufficiently
prepared. If a student wishes to take this route, they must inform the thesis coordinators and receive prior approval from the thesis coordinators by e-mail by no later than 17 February 2020 in order to proceed.
4.2 Step 2: Formulate objectives and preferences with respect to the BSc thesis project and fill in/sign thesis contract It is the student’s responsibility to monitor his/her own progress, to set the dates for meetings with the supervisor (approx. 5 meetings in total – see 5. Course Schedule below for suggested timings) and
1 A BSc Tourism thesis can be supervised by staff from the Academy for Tourism of Breda University of
Applied Sciences or staff from any of the following Wageningen University & Research chair groups: AEP,
CPT, ENP, ESA, FNP, GEO, SGL, LUP, MCB, MST and PAP, or. A supervisor must fulfil the following criteria:
1) either already hold a PhD degree or be currently enrolled as a PhD student and 2) be an active research
scholar from Wageningen University & Research or Breda University of Applied Sciences.
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to provide the supervisor with any drafts and the final written products (e.g., research project proposal in Period 5 and research report in Period 6) in a timely manner.
All students must arrange a meeting during Period 5/Week 1 (starting 16 March 2020) with their
supervisors to familiarise themselves with the supervisor and the topic on which they will be working for their thesis. At this time, the supervisor will provide the students with some background information on the broader research field to which they are contributing, present the topic on which
the student will be working and suggest an introductory reading list to help the student prepare their research project proposal. The supervisor also can give advice about ways to find the right sources of information. This is also the time when students should let supervisors know what their own interests
are so that they can reach agreement on how to include some of those interests into the way in which the thesis topic will be approached and studied in their project.
To formalize the collaboration with the thesis supervisor, a thesis contract needs to be filled in and signed by both the supervisor and student. For a copy of this contract, see Appendix 1
4.3 Step 3: Conduct an independent literature search and literature study A concise scholarly literature review will serve as a foundation for your thesis proposal. Later, the literature review will appear in a more detailed, extensive form in your thesis report. Students will
receive a short list of suggested readings from their supervisor at the start of the thesis process, but it is each individual student’s responsibility to search for additional resources in order to go into greater depth in the chosen research topic. In your proposal and thesis report literature reviews, be sure to
summarise information on the topic in a structured way and try to use your own words as much as possible, keeping the use of quotes to a minimum.
4.4 Step 4: Formulate a research project proposal with the support of the supervisor In the first part of the BSc Tourism thesis process, the student must write a BSc Tourism research project proposal. This proposal (2500 words maximum, not including references) should contain at
least the following five aspects (please consult with your supervisor about the desired order of some of these components):
1 Title Give a provisional title for your project. On the same page, be sure to include your name, student registration number and supervisor’s name along with the date and course code (GEO 80818) on the front page.
2 Topic introduction
and background
Identify the general topic and why it’s important to tourism studies. Include references to related literature based on what you learned in the literature
review (see section 4.3 above). Then, zoom in on the particular aspect of the topic you plan to explore in your project. What do we already know about it and what are some of the key questions and debates today related to it?
3 Research question and
scholarly relevance
Next, zoom in on your own scholarly contribution to the topic. What key question(s) do you intend to address in your research project? What makes this contribution relevant/important to scholars? If undertaking a positivist piece of
research, what hypotheses related to this question do you propose to examine or test?
4 Conceptual/
theoretical framework and
After that, describe the specifics. How do you intend to address your research
question? What relevant theories or concepts will you draw upon to do this? What methodologies or research strategies will you employ (e.g., comparative case studies, thematic analysis, statistical analysis, content analysis, etc.)? What
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research design
material do you intend to use to generate data and carry out your research (e.g., documents, datasets, interviews, etc.)? Elaborate on these and provide a solid
rationale for them.
5 References List all cited references in a format appropriate to your field of study (please confirm with your thesis supervisor), or if your supervisor does not recommend
a specific format, use APA style. Note: References are not included in the overall word count.
The proposal must meet the following two criteria: 1) the subject is relevant to the academic study of tourism; and 2) the subject and the intended approach should enable students to demonstrate BSc-level competences with regard to their academic knowledge and skills (see Appendix 4).
Throughout the proposal preparation process, students are encouraged to meet with and get feedback
from their supervisors on their draft proposals in order to ensure that they submit a quality final product. Also, prior to submitting the final proposal to the thesis supervisor and coordinators, students participate in a compulsory group feedback session on Thursday, 2 April, from 10:10h-11:40h, Lumen
building, room Lumen 1, where they briefly present their proposals to their peers in small groups, discuss challenges they are facing and identify together strategies for handling those challenges.
To pass on to the next stage towards completing the BSc Tourism thesis, the finalised proposal must be approved by both the student’s thesis supervisor and the BSc Tourism thesis coordinators (this is
referred to as the ‘proposal go/no go process’). The thesis coordinators will provide feedback to the supervisors in order to ensure that all students are undertaking theses at roughly the same level, thus ensuring a more level playing field, and the supervisor will communicate the ‘go/no go’ decision in
addition to any feedback from both the supervisor and coordinators to his/her student. The deadline for final thesis project proposal submission (by email) to both the thesis supervisor and thesis coordinators is 13 April 2020 at 14:00. If the proposal receives a ‘no go’, then the student will receive
detailed feedback from the supervisor as to why and the student must submit a new proposal within 5 working days. It is essential that students and their supervisors treat the preparation of their proposal
seriously in order to avoid any study delays.
4.5 Step 5: Conduct the research according to the proposal and within the designated timeframe Upon proposal approval (referred to as a ‘go’ in the ‘proposal go/no go process’), students can
commence with carrying out their approved research project. Following approval of their final proposal by the thesis supervisor and coordinator, students also participate in a compulsory group feedback session on Tuesday, 21 April from 10:10-11:40, Gaia/Lumen building, room Gaia 2, where they briefly
present their data-gathering plans to their peers in small groups, discuss challenges they are facing and identify together strategies for handling those challenges.
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4.5.1 What is the difference between a 12- and an 18-credit BSc thesis? There are three main differences between a 12-credit thesis (most common format at Wageningen University) and an 18-credit thesis (for the BSc Tourism now):
1. Students are expected to have more developed methodology sections in their thesis reports. An 18-credit thesis report should have a more thorough description of, as well as a solid rationale for, the research design that is based
upon and supported by scholarly literature. 2. Students are allocated much more time to undertake their own primary
research (e.g., conduct interviews, gather questionnaires, etc.) and/or in-depth data analysis. For example, in the past, the limited size of the BSc Tourism (12 credits) meant that students were encouraged to analyse already existing
datasets or to undertake only a small number of interviews, etc. With the expanded BSc Tourism thesis now at 18 credits, thesis students are given
sufficient time to go into greater depth and undertake more primary data-gathering and -analysis. This reflects the BSc Tourism programme’s emphasis on acquiring and applying research skills. (Note: The enlargement of the thesis to 18
credits does not mean, however, that BSc thesis students should be engaging in primary data-gathering that would be expected of an MSc student.)
3. Students must more clearly, and in greater depth, critically reflect upon their
research process, theory, methods and results in an 18-credit thesis report. This involves students explicitly identifying the limitations of their research as well as
their own positionality in the research process.
Students have approximately 8 weeks to gather data, analyse it and write up the results. Students
are advised to meet with their supervisors at least twice during the period of conducting their research to discuss and get feedback on their progress (time management), data gathering and analysis.
4.6 Step 6: Discuss and analyse the research findings in thesis report Students must submit a complete draft of their thesis report (by email) to their supervisors by 11 June 2020 at 14:00 in order to receive detailed oral and/or written feedback from their supervisor
prior to submitting the final version of the report (by email) by 25 June 2020 at 14:00. In the week when he/she receives the complete draft, the thesis supervisor must decide whether or not the thesis
report merits a ‘go’ or ‘no go’ (referred to as the ‘report go/no go process’). If the thesis draft receives a ‘go’, then the final version submitted on 25 June 2020 can be sent out to the examiner for evaluation and the presentation/defence can be scheduled. It is the student’s responsibility to email their final
report to the supervisor and examiner as well as to upload the final report via TurnItIn (the thesis coordinators will provide instructions on the latter step in due time). If the thesis report receives a ‘no go’ from the supervisor, the thesis will have to be revised and resubmitted, and the student’s
presentation/defence will be scheduled for a later date (i.e., generally late August 2020 before the end of August deadline for submission of final marks, TBD).
It is students’ responsibility to consult the BSc Tourism thesis assessment rubric (see section 6.2) in order to ensure that sufficient reflection on the research process, the theory and methods and the
results takes place in the report. Though some students may wish to adopt a different structure for their thesis (in accordance with their supervisor’s guidance), a typical thesis report is structured as
follows: 1. Introduction 2. Literature review, research questions and theoretical/conceptual framework
3. Methods 4. Results and analysis 5. Discussion
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6. Conclusion
4.7 Step 7: Present and discuss the research in a public oral presentation The presentation, oral defence and final assessment of the thesis take place once a year during a collective assessment event (2 July 2020). All students’ theses are presented for an audience of supervisors, fellow students, professionals, friends and relatives. Students have 15 minutes to present
their completed thesis projects and 10 minutes to respond to questions posed by the thesis project assessors (supervisor and examiner) and/or the audience. While the result of the research can vary in
character, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the content of the presentation meets the assessment criteria (see again 6.2 BSc Tourism thesis assessment rubric).
4.8 Step 8: Defend and reflect upon the research process, theory, methods and results as well as upon personal actions and thought processes Following the oral presentation, the student meets privately with their thesis assessors for an oral defence which takes no more than 25 minutes on 2 July 2020. This is the student’s opportunity to reflect on and respond to assessors’ questions about the thesis and research process.
4.9 Step 9: Thesis wrap-up The marks for thesis project assessment components A, B, C and D (see 6.2 BSc Tourism thesis
assessment rubric) are negotiated and awarded by the supervisor and examiner on 2 July 2020. These marks are recorded in the thesis assessment form (see Appendix 3), which is submitted to the thesis
coordinators for inclusion in the system and then presented to the student some days later. Students who experience a study delay will be offered a second opportunity for the presentation and oral defence in late-August 2020.
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5. Course schedule Period Date Phase Responsibilities – Student Responsibilities – Supervisor Responsibilities – Examiner/Coordinator
3 3-14 February Identify research
interests
Establish overview of available thesis project in
collaboration with potential BTO thesis supervisors
4 17-21 February Learn about the thesis process & topic allocation
Participate in the compulsory group meeting for thesis students on 19 February, from 12:30-13:30, Location: Lumen building, room Lumen 1, to learn
about the thesis process
Thesis coordinators run a compulsory group meeting for thesis students on 19 February to inform students about the thesis process.
Following consultation with the assistant BUAS thesis coordinator, the thesis coordinators inform students and supervisors of who they will be working with by 2
March 2020
4 17-24 February Selection of thesis projects
Identify research interests and select top 3 choices from the list of thesis projects proposed by supervisors by 24 February 2020 and at 14:00
4 24-28 February Matching
students with projects (supervisors)
Thesis coordinators to match students with thesis
projects/supervisors and to communicate this to both students and supervisors by 2 March 2020
4 2-15 March Get familiar with
the topic
Search and scan at least 5 relevant research papers
to prepare your first meeting with your supervisor (next week) and start to plan your first meeting (see next step)
5 16-20 March Meet your
supervisor!
- Hold Meeting 1 with the supervisor to find out
about the supervisor’s proposed research topic and identify how the student’s interests can be worked into the supervisor’s topic
In Meeting 1, the supervisor meets with the
student to discuss the supervisor’s proposed research topic and identify how the student’s interests can be worked into a shared research project
5 23 March – 10 Formulate a
research project proposal
- Hand in draft research project proposal to the
supervisor - Schedule and hold Meeting 2 with the supervisor to present, discuss and get feedback on the draft
proposal - Participate in the compulsory group meeting for thesis students held on Thursday, 2 April, from 10:10-11:40, Gaia/Lumen building, room Lumen
1, to discuss progress and share strategies relative to the proposal - Revise the proposal in view of the supervisor’s
comments
In Meeting 2, the supervisor provides feedback on the student’s draft research project proposal
Thesis coordinators run a compulsory group meeting
on 2 April 2020, for all thesis students to discuss progress and share strategies relative to the proposal
5 13-17 April Finalise the research project proposal
- Hand in final version of the research project proposal to both the thesis supervisor and thesis coordinators by email on 13 April 2020 by 14:00
The supervisor (after receiving feedback from the thesis coordinator) gives a ‘go/no go’ decision on the proposal by 17 April 2020 (if an agreed ‘no go’ with the thesis coordinator, then
the student must revise the proposal)
Emmanuel Adu-Ampong/Arjaan Pellis or another appointed examiner reads, provides feedback and receives supervisors’ feedback on students’ proposals by 17 April 2020 (if an agreed ‘no go’ with the
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Period Date Phase Responsibilities – Student Responsibilities – Supervisor Responsibilities – Examiner/Coordinator
supervisor, then the student must revise the proposal)
5/6 20 April – 5 June Carry out the
research project and write the report
- In Meetings 3-4, meet with the supervisor to
discuss progress and specific questions - Participate in the compulsory group meeting for thesis students held on Tuesday, 21 April from 10:10-11:40, Gaia building, room Gaia 2, to
discuss progress and share strategies relative to the thesis data-gathering phase
In Meetings 3-4, the supervisor meets with the
student to discuss progress and specific questions
Thesis coordinators run compulsory group meeting for thesis students on 21 April 2020, for all thesis students to discuss progress and share strategies relative to the thesis data-gathering phase
6 8-12 June Finalise project Hand in compete draft of the thesis report by 11 June 2020 at 14:00 to supervisor by e-mail for comments
The supervisor reads the draft research report and prepares written feedback for the student’s use to revise and improve the thesis report. Thi s
feedback is sent to the student by email .
6 15-19 June Finalise report In Meeting 5, discuss the draft thesis report with the supervisor, address the comments and finalise the report
In Meeting 5, the supervisor meets with the student to discuss the draft research report
6 22-26 June Finalise report Hand in final thesis report by e-mail to supervisor
and examiner by email and to the thesis coordinators via TurnItIn (Brightspace) by 25 June 2020 at 14:00
The supervisor assesses the student’s research
competencies in addition to reading and assessing the final thesis report using the thesis assessment rubric
The examiners read and assess the final thesis report
using the thesis assessment rubric
6 29 June-3 July 2 Presentation and
defence
Oral presentation on 2 July 2020 (location: Lumen
building, room 1 or 2) (Defence rooms will be announced in due time)
The supervisor and examiner assess the student’s oral presentation and defence. They must be present
for this on 2 July 2020 (locations: Lumen building, room 1 or 2). Arrangements for timing will be made with the coordinator. Afterwards, the supervisor ensures that the thesis assessment form is complete (signed by both
supervisor and examiner, complete with detailed comments from both assessors on the student’s thesis performance). He/she then submits the complete exam form to the thesis coordinators by email so that the secretary from her chair group (GEO) can enter the final mark in the system. Note: The GEO secretary is responsible for entering marks – not secretaries of the supervisors’ chair groups. This is to ensure that all
marks are entered together in a timely manner and that all required documentation has been submitted.
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6. Assessment strategy 6.1 How thesis learning outcomes are assessed The programme uses a standard evaluation form for the assessment of an 18-credit BSc thesis. Criteria
for the assessment are:
• Part A - the ability to execute a research project (‘research competence’ = 40% of the final mark),
• Part B - the ability to write a research report (‘research report’ = 40%),
• Part C - the ability to deliver an oral presentation of the research (‘oral presentation’ = 10%) and
• Part D - the ability to defend the thesis orally (‘oral defence’ = 10%).
Assessment categories
A. Research
competence
B. Research
report
C. Oral
presentation
D. Oral
defence
Learning outcomes 40% 40% 10% 10%
1 Formulate individual learning goals based on
personal reflection on their own knowledge, skills, attitude and functioning, and incorporate these learning goals in a research project proposal
X X
2 Perform a literature search and literature study
X X
3 Survey, apply and integrate relevant academic knowledge regarding a current
issue in the field of tourism
X X
4 Formulate a research project proposal (including theoretical background, problem
definition, methodological design and project planning) under supervision and with the use of feedback
X
5 Plan and carry out research based on the knowledge and skills which are acquired in the BSc study programme
X X X X
6 Plan and carry out independent research work, under supervision and appropriate to
the BSc level, within the designated timeframe
X X
7 Write and present a BSc-level academic thesis report – with the use of feedback – in a way that clearly, understandably and systematically describes the methods,
findings and analysed results of the research project
X X X
8 Defend and reflect upon the research project and its results as well as upon personal action and thinking throughout the
thesis process in writing and orally.
X X X X
The thesis supervisor will assess learning outcomes for research competence (part A) and each member of the thesis assessment committee (supervisor and examiner) will assess learning outcomes for the thesis report (part B) of the thesis assessment form independently before the oral presentation (part
C) and oral defence (part D). For the assessment, a specific rubric is used for the BSc Thesis Tourism (see section 6.2).
The final thesis report must be handed in as a PDF file to the thesis supervisor by 25 June 2020 (before 2pm). Barring extraordinary personal circumstances, the presentation (colloquium) and oral defence
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must take place on 2 July 2020. Students who experience a significant study delay as a result of a thesis
report ‘no-go decision’ by their supervisor will be offered a second opportunity for the presentation and oral defence in late August 2020 (TBD). If any of the four parts of the assessment form is assessed
insufficiently (a 5.5 or greater is required for each part), then the student has one (1) opportunity to improve it within ten (10) working days. In accordance with examination guidelines set for the BSc Tourism programme, if this version is again insufficient, the BSc Tourism Thesis must be repeated in a
new period.
Students are reminded that the time period for thesis supervision is fixed. The thesis amounts to 18 credits, or the duration of the educational study period as indicated in the Study Handbook (https://ssc.wur.nl/Studiegids/Vak/GEO-80818). Students only have the right to supervision during
educational periods 5 and 6. If the thesis takes longer, this right will disappear, and in principle students have to continue on their own, unless the supervisor is willing to continue the supervision on a voluntary basis.
The thesis work is marked by two assessors: the supervisor and an examiner. Both assessors are
present during both the presentation and the defence. In order to secure the reliability of the assessment, the examiner may not personally be involved in thesis supervision. Thesis supervisors are responsible for selecting thesis examiners and handling any necessary arrangements linked to this,
though they may request advice from the thesis coordinator. A thesis examiner must fulfil the following criteria: 1) be knowledgeable in the domain of tourism, 2) either hold a PhD degree or currently be enrolled as a PhD student, and 3) be an active research scholar. In 20% of all theses, to ensure
continuity, Emmanuel Adu-Ampong/Arjaan Pellis or a specially appointed examiner will be involved in thesis assessment.
Supervisors are furthermore responsible for ensuring the completion and submission of signed thesis contracts (see Appendix 1), assessment forms (see Appendix 2) and final copy of the thesis in PDF
(for the archive) to the thesis coordinators ([email protected] and [email protected]) and chair group secretary (GEO secretary, Ms Keen Mun Poon – [email protected]) enters the final thesis mark into the Wageningen University marking system.
6.2 BSc Tourism thesis assessment rubric and user instructions In the BSc thesis assessment form, a number of criteria for the assessment of the BSc thesis are mentioned. The rubric can be used as a tool to determine the appropriate mark for each criterion. In the rubric, which has the form of a table, each line discusses one criterion for assessment, each column
gives a level for the grading, and each cell contains the descriptor of the level for that criterion. The criteria in the rubric follow the order of the criteria in the assessment form for the BSc thesis.
The main intention of using a rubric is to enhance the homogeneity of assessment and to communicate about assessment with students and with colleagues. Furthermore, it clarifies the supervisor’s
expectations and helps him/her with structuring feedback during the process of thesis research. However, it should be noted that even with the use of a rubric some arbitrariness will remain.
In a few cases the criteria were split into two or more parts because the description of the criteria clearly covered different subjects. The mark for the criteria should in such a case consist of the average mark for the different subjects or if one criterion is far more important for that particular thesis, that
criteria should be should be weighted more.
When determining the mark of a certain criterion, always start at the lowest level and test if the student should be awarded the next higher mark. Note that in some cases achievements of a lower level are not repeated at the higher level because the lower level achievements are implicit in the higher levels.
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If a level has a range of marks, choose the most appropriate one (consider the description of the level
of performance as a continuum, rather than a discrete description). Since the final mark for a thesis usually ranges between 6 and 9, individual levels have been established for the marks of 6, 7 and 8.
When performance is at the 9-10 level, it is necessary to decide whether the student is on the low edge (9) or high edge (10) of this level. Descriptions at the 9-10 level tend to describe the ultimate performance (10). Hence, if a student performs well above 8, but below the description at the 9-10
level, a 9 would be the appropriate mark. Keep in mind that each line in the rubric should be read independently: it could be that a student scores a 1-3 on one criterion and a 9-10 on another.
1-3 4-5 6 7 8 9-10
A) Research competence (40%) A1. Initiative, pro-activity and creativity
The student
shows no initiative or
ideas at all.
The student
picks up some initiatives
and/or ideas suggested by
others (e.g. supervisor), but the selection is
not motivated.
The student
shows some initiative and/or
together with the supervisor
develops one or two ideas on minor parts of
the research.
The student
initiates discussions
on ideas with supervisor
and develops one or two own ideas on
minor parts of the research.
The student has
own creative ideas on
hypothesis formulation,
design or data processing.
The student
develops innovative
hypotheses, research
methods and/or data-analysis
methods.
A2. Commitment and perseverance
The student is not
motivated.
He/she escapes work and
gives up
regularly.
The student has little
motivation.
He/she tends to be distracted easily. Has
given up once
or twice.
The student is motivated at
times, but
often, sees the work as a compulsory
task. He/she is
distracted from thesis work now
and then.
The student is motivated.
He/she
overcomes an occasional setback with
help of the
supervisor.
The student is motivated and/or
overcomes an
occasional setback on his/her own and
considers the
work as his/her “own” project.
The student is very
motivated
and endeavours to get the
most out of
the project.
A3. Proposal
The student
is not able to
set up a
proposal.
The proposal has
been set up but
it contains many
errors in logic
even with the
supervisor’s
direct help.
The proposal has
been set up with
the supervisor’s
direct help.
The proposal
has been set
up correctly
with direct
help of
supervisor.
The proposal has
been set up
correctly after
detailed
instruction by
supervisor.
The proposal
has been set
up correctly
after basic
instruction by
supervisor.
A4. Time management
No planning
is made.
Planning is
without any detail, not feasible and
backup
strategies are lacking.
Planning is
somewhat concrete but not feasible and
backup
strategies are lacking.
Planning is
quite concrete, but some aspects
of the
planning are not feasible
and backup
strategies are insufficient.
Planning is quite
concrete and feasible, but backup
strategies are
insufficient.
Planning is
concrete and feasible and backup
strategies are
sufficient.
The student
can only
perform the
project
properly after
repeated
detailed
instructions
and with
direct help
from the
supervisor.
The student
needs frequent
instructions and
well-defined
tasks from the
supervisor and
the supervisor
needs to check
carefully to see
if all tasks have
been performed.
The supervisor is
mainly
responsible for
setting out the
tasks, but the
student is able to
perform them
mostly
independently.
The student
selects and
plans tasks
together with
the supervisor
and performs
these tasks on
his/her own.
The student plans
and performs
tasks mostly
independently,
asking for help
from the
supervisor when
needed.
The student
plans and
performs tasks
independently
and organises
his/her
sources of
help
independently.
15
1-3 4-5 6 7 8 9-10
A5. Critical and self-reflective capacity
The student
doesn’t acknow-ledge the
strengths
and weaknesses
of the research
(plan).
The student is
not able to point out strengths and
weaknesses of
the research (plan).
The student is
able to point out some strengths and weaknesses
of the research
(plan).
The student
is able to point out many of the
strengths
and weaknesses
of the research
(plan).
The student is
able to point out most of the strengths and
weaknesses of
the research (plan).
The student is
able to point out most of the strengths
and
weaknesses of the
research (plan) and is
able to give
some
constructive suggestions for
improvement.
A6. Handling the supervisor's comments
The student
does not pick up the supervisor’s suggestions
and ideas.
The supervisor
needs to act as an instructor and constantly needs to
suggest solutions for problems.
The student
incorporates some of the comments of the supervisor,
but ignores others without arguments.
The student
incorporates most or all of the supervisor's
comments.
The supervisor's
comments are weighed by the student and asked for when
needed.
The
supervisor's comments are critically weighed by
the student and asked for when needed,
also from
other staff members or
students. The student’s
knowledge
and insight
(relative to
the
prerequisites)
is insufficient
and the
student is not
able to take
appropriate
action to
remedy this.
There is some
progress in the
student’s
research skills,
but the
supervisor’s
suggestions are
also ignored
occasionally.
The student is
able to adopt
some skills as
they are
presented
during
supervision.
The student is
able to adopt
skills as they
are presented
during
supervision
and also
develops
some skills
independent-
ly.
The student is
able to adopt new
skills mostly
independently,
and asks for
assistance from
the supervisor if
needed.
The student
has knowledge
and insight on
a scientific
level -- i.e.
he/she
explores
solutions on
his/her own,
increases skills
and knowledge
where
necessary.
A7. Critical gathering, processing and analysis of literature and data
A7a. Literature analysis
The student
is not able to
organise literature and come to
a synthesis.
The student is
able to organise
the literature, but is not able come to a
synthesis that results in own
insights, hypotheses or
conclusions independently.
The student is
able to
organise literature and comes to a
synthesis that results in own
insights, hypotheses or
conclusions; but the way the literature is
used does not clearly
contribute to
answering of the research questions.
The student
is able to
organise literature and comes
to a synthesis
that results in own
insights, hypotheses or
conclusions which
contribute to
the research question.
The student is
able to organise
literature and critically evaluates the
quality of his/her literature
sources. He/she comes to a
synthesis that results in own insights,
hypotheses or conclusions which
contribute to the
research question.
The student is
able to
organise literature and critically
evaluates the quality of
his/her literature
sources. He/she comes to an original
synthesis that results in own
original
insights, hypotheses or conclusions
which
contribute to the research question.
16
1-3 4-5 6 7 8 9-10
A7b. Data gathering The student
is not able to
identify or
perform data-
gathering
techniques
appropriate
to the
research
question.
The student
makes many
errors in
identifying and
performing
appropriate data
techniques, even
with the
supervisor’s
direct help.
The student is
mostly able to
identify and
perform
appropriate
data-gathering
techniques
correctly after
detailed
instruction by
the supervisor.
The student is
able to
identify and
perform
appropriate
data-
gathering
techniques
correctly after
detailed
instruction by
the
supervisor.
The student is
able to judge,
account for and
perform
appropriate data-
gathering
techniques after
basic instruction
by the supervisor.
The student is
able to clearly
judge and
account for
the set-up of
the chosen
methods,
undertake the
appropriate
techniques
and make
modifications
where
necessary.
A7c. Data analysis
The student
is lost when
using data.
He/she is not able to use appropriate
data-
processing techniques.
The student is
able to organise
the data, but is
not able to perform checks and/or simple analyses.
The student is
able to
organise data
and perform some simple checks; but the way the data
are used does
not clearly contribute to
answering of
the research questions
and/or student is unable to analyse the
data
independently.
The student
is able to
organise the
data, perform some basic checks and
perform basic
analyses that contribute to
the research
question.
The student is
able to organise
the data, perform
commonly used checks and perform some advanced
analyses on the
data.
The student is
able to
organise the
data, perform thorough checks and perform
advanced and
original analyses on
the data.
B) Thesis report (40%) B1. Problem definition and research set-up
There is no researchable
research
question and the delineation
of the
research is absent.
Most research questions are
unclear or not
researchable, and the delineation of
the research is
weak.
The research questions are
mostly clear
but could have been defined more sharply
at some points.
The research questions
and the
delineation are mostly clear but
could have
been defined more sharply at some
points.
The research questions are
clear and
researchable and the delineation is clear.
The research questions are
clear and
formulated to-the-point and limits of
the research
are well-defined.
No link is
made to
existing research on
the topic. No
research
context is described.
The context of
the topic at
hand is described in
broad terms but
there is no link
between what is known and what will be
researched.
The link
between the
thesis research and existing
research does
not go beyond
the information provided by the supervisor.
Context of
the research
is defined well, with
input from
the student.
There is a link between the context
and research questions.
Context of the
research is
defined sharply and to-the-point.
Research
questions emerge
directly from the described context.
Research is
positioned
sharply in the relevant
scientific
field. Student
is able to indicate the novelty and
innovation of the research.
B2. Theoretical underpinning and use of literature
17
1-3 4-5 6 7 8 9-10
No
discussion of
underlying theories.
There is some
discussion of
underlying theories, but the description
shows serious
errors.
Student has
found the
relevant theories, but the description
has not been
tailored to the project at hand
or shows occasional
errors.
Student has
found the
relevant theories, and has been
partially
successful in tailoring the
description to the project at
hand. Few errors occur.
Student has found
the relevant
theories, makes a synthesis of those, and has
been successful in
tailoring the description to the
project at hand.
Clear,
complete and
coherent overview of relevant
theories.
Exactly tailored to
the project at hand.
No peer-reviewed/ primary
scientific
papers in reference
list, except for those
already suggested
by the
supervisor.
Only a couple of peer-reviewed papers in
reference list.
Some peer-reviewed papers in
reference list
but also a significant
body of grey literature.
Relevant peer-reviewed
papers in
reference list but also
some grey literature or
text books. Some
included
references less relevant.
Mostly peer-reviewed papers or specialised
monographs in
reference list. An occasional
reference may be less relevant.
Almost exclusively peer-
reviewed
papers in reference list
or specialised monographs.
All papers included are
relevant.
B3. Description of methods and critical analysis of literature and data
No
description of methods and analysis
of the
information/ data.
Insufficient
information on methods and insufficient
analysis of the
information.
Some aspects
of the project regarding methods and
analysis of
information are described insufficiently.
The methods
used and
analysis of data/
information
are not always appropriate.
Description
of methods and analysis of
information/
data is lacking in a number of
places. The
methods
used and analysis of
data/
information are mostly
appropriate.
Description of
methods and analysis of information/data
is mostly
complete, but some details are lacking. The
methods used and
analysis of
data/information are appropriate.
Description
of methods used and analysis of
the
information is appropriate,
complete and
clear.
B4. Clarity of argumentation and conclusions
No link
between
research questions, results and
conclusions.
Conclusions are
drawn, but in
many cases these are only partial answers
to the research question.
Conclusions
merely repeat results or conclusions are
not
substantiated by results.
Conclusions
are linked to
the research questions, but not all
questions are addressed.
Some
conclusions are not substantiated
by results or
merely repeat results.
Most
conclusions
well-linked to research questions
and substantiated
by results.
Conclusions mostly formulated
clearly but
some vagueness in wording.
Clear link
between research
questions and conclusions. All conclusions
substantiated by results.
Conclusions are
formulated exact.
Clear link
between
research questions and conclusions.
Conclusions substantiated
by results.
Conclusions are formulated
exact and
concise. Conclusions are
grouped/orde
red in a logical way.
No recom-mendations/
paths for
Recommen-dations/paths
for future
Some recommend-
dations/paths
Recommen-dations/path
s for future
Recommendations/paths for future
research are to-
Recommen-dation/paths
for future
18
1-3 4-5 6 7 8 9-10
future
research
given.
research are
absent or trivial.
for future
research are
given, but the link of those to the
conclusions is
not always clear.
research are
well-linked to
the conclusions.
the-point, well-
linked to the
conclusions and original.
research are
to-the-point,
well-linked to the conclusions,
original and
are extensive enough to
serve as project
description for a new
thesis project.
B5. Critical reflection and discussion
No
discussion
and/or
reflection on the research.
Discussion only
touches on
trivial or very
general points of criticism.
The student
identifies only
some possible
weaknesses which are in reality
irrelevant or
non-existent.
The student
indicates
most
weaknesses in the research, but
does not
weigh their
impact on the main
results
relative to each other.
The student
indicates all
weaknesses in
the research and weighs them relative to each
other.
Furthermore,
(better) alternatives for
the methods used
are indicated.
The student is
able to
identify all
possible weaknesses in the
research and
to indicate
which weaknesses
affect the
conclusions most.
No confrontation
with existing
literature.
Some confrontation
with existing
literature but incomplete and irrelevant.
Some confrontation
with existing
literature, some relevance.
The student identifies
only most
obvious conflicts and corresponden
ces with
existing
literature. Student tries
to describe
the added value of
his/her study
but does not relate this to
existing research.
The student shows minor and
major conflicts
and correspondences with literature
and can identify
the added value
of his/her research relative
to existing
literature.
The student critically
confronts
results to existing literature and
in case of
conflicts is
able to weigh own results
relative to
existing literature.
Student is
able to identify the
contribution of his/her work to the development
of scientific
concepts.
B6. Writing skills (including correct formatting and citation)
Badly structured. In many
cases,
information appears in the wrong
locations.
Level of detail is
inappropriate throughout.
The main structure incorrect in
some places,
and the placement of material in
different
chapters is illogical in many
places. The level of detail varies widely
(information
The main structure is correct, but
the lower level
hierarchy of sections is not logical in
places. Some
sections have overlapping
functions, leading to ambiguity in
placement of
The main structure correct, but
the
placement of material in different
chapters
illogical in places. The
level of detail is inappropriate
in a number
Most sections have a clear and unique function.
The hierarchy of
sections is mostly correct. The ordering of
sections is mostly
logical. All information
occurs at the correct place, with few
exceptions. In
Well-structured. Each section
has a clear
and unique function. The hierarchy of
sections is
correct. The ordering of
sections is logical. All information
occurs at the
19
1-3 4-5 6 7 8 9-10
missing, or
irrelevant
information given).
information.
The level of
detail varies widely (information
missing, or
irrelevant information
given).
of places
(irrelevant
information given).
most places, the
level of detail is
appropriate.
correct place.
The level of
detail is appropriate throughout.
Formulations
in the text
are often
incorrect/ inexact, inhibiting a
correct
interpretation of the text.
Vagueness
and/or
inexactness in
the wording occur regularly, and they affect
the
interpretation of the text.
The text is
ambiguous in
some places,
but this does not always inhibit a
correct
interpretation of the text.
Formulations
in text are
predominant-
ly clear and exact. The report could
have been
written more concisely.
Formulations in
the text are clear,
exact and
concise.
The textual
quality of
thesis is such
that it could (almost) be acceptable
for a peer-
reviewed journal.
The English is incorrect
and
unreadable.
There are too many
spelling and
grammatical errors to
count.
The English is incorrect and
very hard to
read. There are
so many spelling and grammatical
errors that they
make the thesis almost
impossible to understand.
The English is somehow
correct but not
easy to read.
There are numerous
spelling and
grammatical errors.
The English is basically
correct and
readable.
There are some spelling
and
grammatical errors
present but at acceptable
quantities.
The English is correct and
pleasant to read.
There are some
spelling and grammatical
errors.
The English is fluent and
pleasant to
read. There
are few spelling and
grammatical
errors. The English is
(almost) at the level of
what appears in peer-
reviewed journals.
Correct and
full
referencing
in the text and/or in the
reference list
is fully lacking.
Correct and full
referencing in
the text and/or
in the reference list is frequently
lacking.
Correct and
full referencing
in the text
and/or in the reference list
is sometimes
lacking.
Correct and
full
referencing
in the text and/or in the
reference list
is rarely lacking.
One format is
correctly used for
references in the
text and reference list. A few
references may
be missing.
One format is
correctly
used for
references in the text and
reference list.
All references are present.
20
C) Oral presentation (10%) C1. Graphic presentation
The
presentation has no structure.
The presentation
has an unclear structure.
The
presentation is structured, though the
audience gets
lost in some places.
The
presentation has a clear structure with
only few
exceptions.
The presentation
has a clear structure, with a mostly good
separation
between the main message and
side-steps.
The
presentation is well-structured.
The graphic
lay-out is
unclear. Unbalanced use of text, graphs,
tables or
graphics
throughout.
Font size too small. Too many or too
few slides.
The graphic lay-
out is insufficient
in many places. Too much text and too few graphics (or
graphs, tables,
etc.), or vice-
versa.
The quality of
the graphic
layout is mixed. Inappropriate use of text,
tables, graphs
and graphics in
some places.
The graphic
lay-out is
mostly clear. Unbalanced use of text, tables,
graphs and
graphics in
only a few
places.
The graphic lay-
out is clear.
Appropriate use of text, tables, graphs and graphics.
The graphic
lay-out is
functional and clear. Clever use of graphs and graphics.
C2. Verbal and non-verbal presentation
Spoken in
such a way
that the
majority of
audience
cannot follow
the
presentation.
Presentation is
uninspired and/or
monotonous
and/or student
reads from slides.
Attention of
audience not
captured.
The quality of
presentation is
mixed:
sometimes
clear,
sometimes hard
to follow.
Mostly clearly
spoken.
Sometimes
monotonous
or difficult to
follow.
Clearly spoken in
such a way that it
keeps the
audience’s
attention.
Relaxed and
lively though
concentrated
presentation.
Clearly spoken
in such a way
that it keeps
audience’s
attention.
The student
does not
make eye-
contact,
moves in a
very restless
way or is
completely
frozen, and
does not
support
his/her words
with gestures.
The student
hardly makes
eye-contact,
moves too much
or is almost
frozen, and hardly
supports his/her
words with
gestures.
The student
sometimes
makes eye-
contact, moves
in a way that is
not very
annoying or
distracting,
makes some
useful
supporting
gestures.
The student
regularly
makes eye-
contact,
moves rather
naturally and
makes some
supporting
gestures.
The student makes
eye-contact,
moves naturally
and makes
supporting
gestures.
The student
constantly
makes eye-
contact, moves
naturally, is
lively and
relaxed and
makes
supporting
gestures.
The
audience’s
language and
interest are
not taken into
consideration
at all.
The audience’s
language and
interest are
hardly taken into
consideration.
The audience’s
language and
interest are at a
couple of points
not
appropriately
targeted.
The audience’s
language and
interest are
mostly
targeted.
The audience’s
language and
interest are well-
targeted. The
student is able to
adjust to some
extent to audience
signals that certain
parts are not
understood.
Take-home
message is
clear to the
audience. The
audience’s
language and
interest are
well-targeted.
The student is
able to adjust
to audience
signals that
certain parts
are not
understood.
Bad timing
(way too
short or too
long until
stopped by
supervisor or
chair).
Bad timing (way
too short or too
long until stopped
by supervisor or
chair).
Timing is
marginally okay
but rushing or
killing time in
the end.
Timing is more
or less okay,
no rushing or
killing time.
The presentation
finished well in
time.
The
presentation
finished well in
time.
The student is The student is The student The student is The student is able The student is
21
not able to
answer
questions.
able to answer
only the simplest
questions.
answers some
of the relevant
questions
appropriately
and deals in an
acceptable way
with the
questions
he/she cannot
answer.
able to answer
many relevant
questions in
an appropriate
way, although
not to-the-
point in some
cases.
to answer most of
the relevant
questions in an
appropriate way.
able to give
appropriate,
clear and
concise
answers to all
relevant
questions.
D) Oral defence (10%) D1. Knowledge of the study domain
The student
does not master the most basic
knowledge (even below
the starting level for the
thesis).
The student does
not understand all of the subject matter discussed
in the thesis.
The student
understands the subject matter of the
thesis on a textbook level.
The student
understands the subject matter of the
thesis on a textbook
level and realises the
importance of literature
without using
it.
The student
understands the subject matter of the thesis
including the literature used in
the thesis.
The student is
well on top of subjects discussed in
thesis: not only does
he/she understand
but he/she is also aware of
current
discussions in the literature related to the
thesis topic.
D2. Thesis defence
The student is not able to
defend/ discuss the thesis.
He/she does not master the content.
The student has difficulty
explaining the subject matter of the thesis.
The student is able to defend
the thesis. He/she mostly masters the
content of what was written, but for a
limited number of items is not
able to explain what was done
did or why.
The student is able to
defend the thesis. He/she
masters the content of what was
written, but not beyond
that. He/she is not able to
place the thesis in
scientific or
practical context.
The student is able to defend
the thesis, including indications where
the work could have been done better. He/she is
able to place the thesis in either a
scientific or practical context.
The student is able to freely
discuss the contents of the thesis and
to place the thesis in current
scientific and practical
contexts.
7. What to do if you encounter problems during the thesis process It is possible that unforeseen troubles arise during your BSc thesis. First of all, it is important to notice the problem. Consider doing a weekly self-check as to whether everything is going well and whether
you will finish your thesis project at the end of Period 6 if you continue as you are. Think about constructive solutions. If you need your supervisor for these solutions or if you don’t know how to go about solving the problem, take the initiative to make your problem known and discuss it. In case of
doubt or questions or if you cannot solve the problem with your supervisor, contact the BSc Tourism study advisor and/or the thesis coordinator. Try to prevent problems from escalating or leading to study delay.
22
Appendices Appendix 1. BSc Tourism Thesis contract The thesis contract formalises the agreements made between the student and the supervisor. In this
sense, it is a further supplementation and elaboration of the rights and obligations that the parties already have based on the Higher Education and Research Act, the Education and Exam Regulations and the student statute. Note that not all supervisors’ chair groups require a BSc thesis contract, so
please check with your supervisor. If the supervisor’s chair group requires a BSc thesis contract to be completed and archived in the system, please fill out this form (also available on Brightspace) and
submit a signed copy to your supervisor BEFORE any thesis activities begin. Your supervisor will then be responsible for sending the Cultural Geography Chair Group Secretary, Ms Keen Mun Poon ([email protected]) a copy of the signed and completed contract so that she can enter it into the
system.
WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY BSc THESIS CONTRACT
1 GENERAL INFORMATION Student:
WU student registration no.: Study programme: BSc Tourism Name of course: BSc Tourism Thesis
Course code: GEO 80318 1st Supervisor: 2nd Supervisor (if applicable):
Supervisor’s department/chair group: BTO Study Advisor: Pieternel Cremers ([email protected])
BTO Thesis Coordinators: Dr. Emmanuel Adu-Ampong ([email protected]) and Dr. Arjaan Pellis ([email protected])
2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND PLANNING SCHEME FOR THE THESIS (see also section 3)
Planned starting date: Start of Period 5 (as identified in the thesis course guide) Planned completion date: End of Period 6 (as identified in the thesis course guide) Special circumstances concerning this student’s thesis planning:
3 HAVE THE FOLLOWING PREREQUISITE SUBJECTS BEEN COMPLETED? Yes/No (select one)
Check with BSc Tourism study advisor to identify which of the following courses must still be completed. Code Name Credits Planned completion
(Multiple) All first-year BSc Tourism courses 60 before starting thesis XTO 22306 Research Methods 2 6 before starting thesis
XTO 24312 International Field Project 12 before starting thesis
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4 AGREEMENT SIGNATURES
Wageningen, [date]
Student
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BSc Tourism Thesis Supervisor
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BSc Tourism Study advisor
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Appendix 2. BSc Tourism Thesis assessment form This is a sample form. The thesis coordinators will provide supervisors with the Excel form to fill out.
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Fill out the single lined fields. Use a comma or a point as decimal sign, depending on the language chosen.
Supervisor's chair group name
Student's name
Student's WU registration number
Study programme BSc Tourism
Thesis code XTO 80818
Short title of the thesis
Date of the examination Signature
Supervisor's name
Examiner's name
Country in which research was conducted
grading relative
mark 1-10 weight
A) Research competence (40%) 40%
1 Initiative, pro-activity and creativity
2 Commitment and perseverance
3 Proposal
4 Time management 0,0
5 Critical and self-reflective capacity
6 Handling the supervisor's comments
7 Critical gathering, processing and analysis of literature and data
B) Thesis report (40%) 40%
1 Problem definition and research set-up
2 Theoretical underpinning and use of literature
3 Description of methods and critical analysis of literature and data 0,0
4 Clarity of argumentation and conclusions
5 Critical reflection and discussion
6 Writing skills, incl. correct formatting and citation
C) Oral presentation (10%) 10%
1 Graphical presentation
2 Verbal and non-verbal presentation and defence 0,0
D) Oral defence (10%) 10%
1 Knowledge of the study domain
2 Thesis defence 0,0
TOTAL 0,00
FINAL GRADE
Supervisor's comments
Examiner's comments
BSC Tourism Thesis evaluation form - Wageningen University
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Appendix 3. BSc Tourism author statement
This completed form must be included in each student’s final thesis report and inserted directly after the title page (i.e., as page 2 of the report).
Full thesis title: Author’s name:
Bachelor degree programme: BSc Tourism Educational Institutes: Breda University of Applied Science and Wageningen University, NL
Authorship statement I hereby declare that this thesis is wholly the work of …(insert name of student here)... Any other
contributors have either been referenced in the prescribed manner or are listed in the acknowledgements together with the nature and the scope of their contribution.
Where I have consulted the published work of others this is always clearly attributed. Where I have quoted from the work of others the source is always given. A list of the references used, is included. An
appropriate referencing style is used throughout. With the exception of such quotations this thesis is entirely my own work. I have read and understand the penalties associated with plagiarism as stated in the Student Charter.
Declaration of Partial Copyright I hereby grant to Breda University of Applied Sciences ("BUAS") and Wageningen University ("WU") the
non-exclusive, royalty-free right to include a digital copy of my thesis and associated supplemental files (“Work”) in the Library Catalogue at BUAS. BUAS and WU may use, reproduce, display, convert,
sublicense and distribute the Work for purposes of a scholarly or research nature, in any format and any medium, without prior permission or charge, provided that the Work is not altered in any way and is properly acknowledged, including citing the author, title and full bibliographic details. (Note: this
corresponds to the Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives, or CC BY-NC-ND Creative Commons license)
I further agree that BUAS and WU may keep more than one copy of the Work for purposes of back-up and security; and that BUAS and WU may, without changing the content, translate, if technically
possible, the Work to any medium or format for the purpose of preserving the Work and facilitating the exercise of BUAS and WU’s rights under this license. I understand that work deposited in the BUAS Library Catalogue will be accessible to a wide variety of people and institutions - including automated
agents - via the World Wide Web. Copying, publication, or public performance of the Work for commercial purposes shall not be allowed without my written permission.
While granting the above uses to BUAS and WU, I retain copyright ownership and moral rights in the Work, and may deal with the copyright in the Work in any way consistent with the terms of this license,
including the right to change the Work for subsequent purposes, including editing and publishing the Work in whole or in part, and licensing the content to other parties as I may desire.
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I represent and warrant that I have the right to grant the rights contained in this license and that the
Work does not, to the best of my knowledge, infringe upon anyone's copyright. I have obtained written copyright permission, where required, for the use of any third-party copyrighted material contained in
the Work. I represent and warrant that the Work is my original work and that I have not previously assigned or relinquished the rights conferred in this license.
Date: Signature:
Appendix 4. BSc Tourism programme learning objectives Moments of self-reflection are built into the thesis process, during meetings between students and their supervisors and in the thesis defence. The table below can be used as a tool to help supervisors with
assessing students’ research competences (see 6.2 BSc Tourism thesis assessment rubric).
BSc Tourism programme
learning outcomes
How the
student assesses his/her
competence in these areas at
the start of the thesis process
How the student
planned to use the thesis project to strengthen
his/her competence in
these areas
How the
student now assesses his/her
competence in these areas
at the end of the thesis process
Gen
eric
co
mp
eten
ces
1 The student has a scientific attitude, as well as a critical and reflective working style.
2 The student has the ability to acquire new knowledge and skills, to develop his/her
competences and reflect on his/her academic development.
3 The student can value the
ethical aspects of functioning as an academic professional.
4 The student can communicate
information, ideas and solutions to tourism professionals and the general public, orally as well as
in writing.
Do
mai
n-
spec
ific
kno
wle
dge
and
un
der
stan
di
ng
5 The student has knowledge of the basic theories and practices
of tourism and its contexts.
6 The student has broad knowledge of the disciplines
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relevant to tourism in the social,
economic and environmental sciences.
7 The student can interpret and
integrate knowledge and concepts from the disciplines relevant to tourism in the social,
economic and environmental sciences.
Do
mai
n-s
pec
ific
res
earc
h s
kills
8 The student can differentiate
between and apply the common research techniques in the
domain of tourism and has the knowledge and skills to relate theory to empirical work.
9 The student can define issues in tourism with the goal to write and carry out a research plan in
this domain.
10 The student can translate research outcomes into
solutions, thereby contributing to the design, organisation and management of (policy)
interventions in the field of tourism.
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If money were no object
Where would you go?
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Internship or thesis in Europe?
Apply for Erasmus+ grant!
(financial support)*
More information and application:
wur.eu/grant-internship
“Thanks to the Study Abroad Office, I learned more about the
Erasmus+ grants and how to apply. I highly recommend it to
everyone who is doing thesis or internship in Europe as it is an
easy process and a good financial help.”
Jordi Vegas Macias - MSc Tourism, Leisure and Environment
*Available for EU & non-EU (BSc, MSc & PhD) students
@studyabroadwur [email protected]
studyabroadwur
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